PLETTENBERG BAY NEWSFLASH - A proposed venue change for this year’s annual Plett Rage student festival has caused quite a stir among residents.

Organisers of this event – which brings thousands of school leavers to the town every year and contributes about R50-million to the local economy over the period – have submitted an occasional land use application to the Bitou municipality to host the festival along the popular Central beach. 

The application is for this year’s festival as well as for the next five years.

While most locals concede that the festival is a massive boost for the local economy, some believe it could have a negative impact not only on marine life but also residents and businesses in the area.

Organisers have through Marike Vreken urban and environmental planners submitted the application and the public had until Friday, July 28 to comment.

Last year the event was hosted on the Ganse Vallei farm, also known as the Plettenberg Bay waste water treatment works (WWTW), but the municipality is currently upgrading it and therefore it is no longer available.

The organisers said that over the past decade Central beach had played an integral role in Plett Rage, providing daytime entertainment and a recreational space for the students. This usually wrapped up at sunset at around 20:00. 

Read the full story in this week’s Knysna-Plett Herald newspaper and online to find out what organisers of the event have to say about how this festival benefits the town.

ARTICLE: YOLANDÉ STANDER, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD CORRESPONDENT

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